19 September -
16 October 2026
Lausanne

News

17.10.2026 Yurii Strakhov, winner of the 2026 Kattenburg Opera Singing Competition

Yurii Strakhov won the first prize at the Kattenburg Competition following a high-level final in the evening of the Friday 16th of October at the Opéra de Lausanne. 

The candidate impressed the jury with two outstanding performances. Holder of a Master’s degree in Musical Performance, specialising in Opera, from the Bern University of the Arts (HKB), he thus secured the first prize, worth CHF 25,000.-.

Once again, the audience showed up for this biennial final, which featured six contestants: three sopranos, one mezzo-soprano and two baritones. Accompanied by the HEMU Orchestra, conducted by Jean-Marie Zeitouni, the finalists each performed two opera arias, treating the audience to a rich and varied programme. The event was also broadcast live on SSR radio.

In addition to the first prize awarded to Yurii Strakhov, second and third prizes were awarded to Lisa Tourniaire (CHF 15,000.-.) and Mathilde Louvat (CHF 10,000.-.).

For the first time this year, the competition was opened to students and recent graduates from all the music high schools in Switzerland. More than 80 applications were received, of which 48 were shortlisted on the basis of their application documents to take part in the 2026 edition.

SPECIAL PRICES

Several special prizes were also awarded during the semi-final and final to recognise the quality and richness of the performances of the competing candidates.

During the final, the Audience Award was shared by Luca Maria Toro and Lisa Tourniaire. Lisa Tourniaire also won the Young Audience Award. Mathilde Louvat received the Société des Arts Prize, which includes a concert as part of the 2027–2028 ‘Concerts au Palais’ series at the Salle de Abeilles in Geneva. She also received, during the semi-final, the prize from the OSUL (Lausanne University Symphony Orchestra), which includes a concert as a soloist with the orchestra.

During this semi-final, Vibe Rouvet received the HEMU Prize. Worth CHF 5,000, this prize includes the opportunity to perform at the Noda BCVS hall in Sion. 
Lisa Tourniaire, for her part, was awarded the prize for the best Swiss contestant as well as that for the best contemporary performance.


AWARDS

During the final:

1st Prize – Yurii Strakhov
2nd Prize – Lisa Tourniaire
3rd Prize – Mathilde Louvat
Audience Prize – Luca Maria Toro et Lisa Tourniaire
Young Audience Prize – Lisa Tourniaire

During the semi-finals:

HEMU Prize – Vibe Rouvet
Prize for Best Contemporary Performance – Lisa Tourniaire
OSUL (Lausanne University Symphony Orchestra) Prize – Mathilde Louvat
Prize for Best Swiss Contestant – Lisa Tourniaire

 

01.10.2026 The 6 finalists have been announced!

Following the two Semi-final rounds held on 2 and 3 October 2026 at the BCV Concert Hall in Lausanne, the Jury has selected the six candidates who will advance to the Final of the 2026 Kattenburg Competition.

After hearing the 12 semi-finalists perform their voice-and-piano recital programmes, the Jury, composed of Leandro Suarez (President of the Jury), Rachel Bersier, Julie Martin du Theil and Marine Thoreau La Salle, selected the following six singers:

•⁠ ⁠Faustine Egiziano - Soprano, HEMU
•⁠ ⁠Mathilde Louvat - Soprano, HEMU
•⁠ ⁠Andrei Maksimov - Baryton, HKB
•⁠ ⁠Yurii Strakhov - Baryton, HKB
•⁠ ⁠Luca Maria Toro - Mezzo-soprano, ZHdK
•⁠ ⁠Lisa Tourniaire - Soprano, HEM-GE

The six finalists will meet again on Friday, 16 October 2026 at 8:00 pm at the Opéra de Lausanne for the final stage of the Competition.

For this Grand Final, they will perform alongside the HEMU Orchestra, conducted by Jean-Marie Zeitouni, each presenting two opera arias before the Final Jury.

We warmly congratulate the six finalists and extend our sincere thanks to all 12 semi-finalists for the outstanding quality of their performances and the wonderful musical moments shared over these two days.

Join us on 16 October at the Opéra de Lausanne to discover the laureates of the 2026 Kattenburg Competition!

25.09.2026 The 12 semi-finalists have been announced

Following the three days of the First Round, held from 19 to 21 September 2026 at HEMU in Lausanne, the jury selected the 12 candidates who will continue their journey in the Kattenburg Competition 2026.

After hearing all the First Round candidates, the jury, composed of Leandro Suarez (President of the Jury), Rachel Bersier, Julie Martin du Theil and Marine Thoreau La Salle, selected the following singers for the Semi-final:

Jinny Gyeomseo Bertschin — soprano, ZHdK
Lily Blanchard — soprano, HEMU
Faustine Egiziano — soprano, HEMU
Kiup Lee — tenor, HEM-GE
Mathilde Louvat — soprano, HEMU
Andrei Maksimov — baritone, HKB
Vibe Rouvet — soprano, HEMU
Yurii Strakhov — baritone, HKB
Luca Maria Toro — mezzo-soprano, ZHdK
Lisa Tourniaire — soprano, HEM-GE
Katharina Willi — soprano, HKB
Aurélie Wolhauser — soprano, ZHdK
The Semi-final will take place on 2 and 3 October 2026 at the BCV Concert Hall at HEMU in Lausanne. The 12 candidates will compete for one of six places in the Final, which will take place on 16 October 2026 at the Opéra de Lausanne.

We warmly congratulate the 12 semi-finalists and sincerely thank all the First Round candidates for the high quality of their performances.

02.06.2026 The 48 First-Round Candidates Have Now Been Announced

The video pre-selection round took place over three days in May. The jury, composed of Stuart Patterson and Carine Séchaye, carefully reviewed and evaluated all applications in order to select the candidates who will advance to the First Round of the competition.

This edition attracted strong interest, with close to one hundred applications received. Following the verification of eligibility requirements, 82 eligible candidates from all Swiss Universities of Music were admitted to the video pre-selection stage.

At the end of this process, 48 candidates were selected to take part in the First Round of the competition.

Discover the list of candidates selected for the First Round.

The First Round will take place from 19 to 21 September 2026 at HEMU Lausanne (Utopia 1 Hall) and will be open to the public.

We warmly congratulate the selected candidates and thank all participants for the high quality of their applications and video performances.

02.02.2026 Bastien Ferraris: new Director of the Kattenburg Competition

The Cultural Foundation of the HEMU (Haute École de Musique et du Conservatoire de Lausanne) is pleased to announce the appointment of Bastien Ferraris as Secretary General.

The Foundation's mission is to raise, manage and distribute funds to support extracurricular artistic activities and projects run by the HEMU and the Lausanne Conservatoire. The Foundation also assists and supports students and pupils experiencing financial difficulties, enabling them to continue their musical training.

A trained flutist and graduate of the Haute École de Musique de Genève, Bastien Ferraris has spent several years developing a unique career combining artistic practice, music production, and cultural entrepreneurship. Active on both modern and historical flutes, he regularly collaborates with renowned ensembles and orchestras in Switzerland and internationally.
Alongside his work as a musician, he is deeply involved in the structuring and management of cultural projects. Notably, he has held production responsibilities within the Geneva Competition, contributing to its reputation as one of the most prestigious international music competitions. He is also the co-founder and co-director of Flautissimo Genève, an organisation dedicated to providing bespoke support for flautists and selling and repairing instruments.

With his dual perspective as an artist and manager, in-depth knowledge of institutional realities, and ability to bring people together around ambitious projects, Bastien Ferraris is well suited to the missions and development challenges of the HEMU-CL Cultural Foundation.

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20.01.2026 Launch of the Kattenburg 2026 Competition

The fifth edition of the Kattenburg Singing Competition will take place in Lausanne from 19 September to 16 October 2026.

The competition is open to Master's degree students and graduates who have obtained a Master's degree in singing at a Swiss music academy between June 2023 and June 2026, regardless of gender or nationality.

The final, which will be held on 16 October at the Opéra de Lausanne, will see the six finalists perform in front of a live orchestra conducted by Jean-Marie Zeitouni.

The competition will award five special prizes and four official prizes to the winners, including a first prize of CHF 25'000.

Registration opens: 1 March 2026

Registration deadline: 1 May 2026

Please consult the calendar for the 2026 edition of the Kattenburg Competition.